Strap tensioning and sealing device



July 1Q, 1951 x KUONI 2,560,456

STRAP TENSIONING AND SEALING DEVICE Filed Feb. 27, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet lJuly l0, 1951 x. KuoNl STRAP TENSIONING AND SEALING DEVICE Filed Feb.27, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented .uly 1.0, 1.951

Xaver Kuoni, Zurich, Switzerland Application February 27, 1946, SerialNo. 650,650 In Switzerland September 19, 1945 6 Claims.

The presentf invention relates lto a tensioning and closing deviceY forband iron hoops with a cutter head capable of being raised and loweredat right angles to the band, which head serves for guiding the band,closing the hoop and for cutting 01T the band.

According to the invention at least one cutter is arranged adjustable tovarious band widths in the cutter head, so that one and the same devicecan be used directly for different band widths; In a preferred form ofthe invention a number of cutters, provided with inclined cutting edges,are provided, which notch the band ends and a closing sleeve, andaccording to a further feature of the invention each cutter is providedwith a plurality of pairs of cutting edges, so that by adjusting thecutters, for example by turning the same, the apparatus can be adjustedin a minimum period of time to different customary band widths.

The invention, furthermore, aims to provide a device of the mentionedltype with a base plate, the front portion of which is curved in planestransverse in relation to the band portion engaged by the device duringits operation, the curvature being such that the tension of the bandwill tend to tilt the device so as to facilitate its removal after thecompletion of its operation. Retractible means may be provided toprevent the tilting when it is not desired.

'I'he accompanying drawing shows, by way of example, an embodiment ofthe invention, in its preferred form. In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation.

Fig. 2 is a plan and Fig. 3 is an end view of the device.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line IV-IV of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line V-V of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line VI-VI of Fig. 2.

Fig. '1 is a section on the line VII-VII of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a section on the line VIII- VIII of Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 is a section on the line IX--IX of Fig. 1.

Fig. 10 is a front elevation similar to Fig. 1, with a band inserted inthe device for tightening and closing.

The illustrated device comprises a frame I including a base plate |0I,two parallel upright longitudinal walls |02 and |03 and two side walls|04 and |05. Only wall 03 rises from the base plate. The front wall |02is located forward of the plate, whereas wall |03 is at a distancerearward of the front edge 2 of the plate. The Wall |02 and the sidewalls |04 and |05 which connect walls |02 and |03 do not reach downwardas far as the baseplate IOI.

On the other hand, walls |02 and |03 extend upwards beyond the walls |04and |05 whereas walls |04 and |05 extend farther downward than wall |02.In the zone where the four walls connect one another, they form atubular housing 3 of rectangular crosssection which is open at both endsbut overlapped at the bottom by the front portion |06 of the base plateAI0 I. In this front portion, i. e. forward of wall |03, the total lengthof the otherwise plane lower side of the base plate is curved or roundedupwards to the raised front edge 2 so that the whole framewhen restingon its base can be tilted forward' in a rolling motion. In the housing3, a cutter head 4 is vertically movable. In the latter a shaft 5 isjournaled on which two cutters 6, 1 are provided with recesses 8, 9, I0forming pairs of cutting edges 8', 9', and I0',` respectively. Thecutters 0, 1 are splined to the shaft 5 and are thusconnectednon-rotatably thereto. The end of the shaft 5 projects through a slot Iin the housing wall |04 and carries a setting head I2, above which isarranged a stationary mark I3. In the cutter head 4, a roller |4 and ahook-shaped pawl I5 are mounted on a shaft I6. An eccentric I1 of aneccentric lever |8 cooperates withroller I4 and is provided with a pinI9 which can be engaged by the pawl I5 as as shown in Fig. 5. A'spring20 tends to hold the pawl I5 hooked on the pin l0. The lever I8 isrockably mounted on a shaft 2|, journaled in housing 3 and is providedwith an extension 22 which in combination with an adjustable screw 23serves as a stop for the lever. On the shaft 2| is seated a compressionspring 25 which presses the eccentric I1 of the lever I8 against anabutment 26. Between the latter and the cutter head 4 a comparativelystrong spring 21 is located which tends to press the head 4 downwardly.In a recess of the cutter head 4, there is also mounted a cutter blade30 (Fig. 5) which serves to cut off the steel band which is to be closedby means of the device. The cutter blade is held in this recess by shaft5 which is rotatable in a bore -of the blade. Underneath the cutters 6,1 grooves 3| are provided in the base plate IOI for the reception of thecutters 6, 1.

In two bearings 33, 34 of the base plate |0I, an eccentrically hollowshaft 35 is journaled which carries a hand-lever 36, a control cam 31(Fig. 7) and a pin 38 (Fig. 6). The pin 31 projects into a recess 40 ofa horizontal shiftably and rockably mounted control rail 42 subjected tothe action of a-tension spring 4I. The cam 31 co-operates with acontrolbolt 44 (Figs. 6,9) which is sub1 jected to the action of a compressionspring 45 and is provided with a reduced portion 46. The one end of thebolt 44 engages in a bore in the wall of bearing 34, whilst the otherend projects beyond the bearing 33 (Fig. 9). The cam 31 is provided witha nose 48 (Fig. 7) which bears against the arm 49 of a two armed lever50 pivoted on the base plate IUI at |50. The other arm 5I of the leverprojects into a yslot 53 of a bolt 55. Bolt 55 has a lower Surface flushwith the plane portion of the bottom surface of base j plate IIII and isguided in a groove or recess 56 at right angles to the longitudinaledge` 2. A spring 51, engaging with the arm 5I, tends to hold the bolt55 always in the position shown in Figs. 8 and 9, i. e. in the positionextending as far as the edge 2. The control rail 42 is provided with anend 421 (Figs. 3 and 5) bent around the corner of the housing 3, whichend carries a pin 56 adapted to engage an arm |51 of the pawl I5.

In the hollow shaft 35, an inner shaft 60 is mounted for free rotation,of which one end carries a tensioning roller 6| and the other end aratchet wheel 62 with which engages a pawl 63. The latter allows theshaft 60 only to turn in one direction. The forked end of a hand lever64 is also mounted on shaft 60 so as to rock freely thereon, This levercarries another pawl 65 en'- gaging with the teeth of the ratchet wheel62, which pawl is spring-biased and turns the ratchet Wheel only in onedirection.

In tensioning and closing a band iron hoop the device operates asfollows:

The device is so placed on the article denoted by 16 in Fig. 10 andwhich is to be provided with a metal'band 1I, that it rests on the flatbottom portion of the base plate II and on the projecting bolt 55 whichprevents the device from tilting. A closure sleeve 12 of a typeconventional for the purpose is slid on the band which comes from asupply reel not shown. The free end 13 of the band is run around thearticle and passed through the sleeve a short distance so as to lieunderneath the portion coming from the reel. The sleeve with the doubledband therein is placed in the device on top of the base plate so thatthe free end 13 is'in the position shown on the left hand side of Fig.l0, the sleeve 12 underneath the cutters 6, 1, and the band portionsadjacent the sleeve underneath the walls |04 and |65. Towards the righthand side, the doubled band extends underneath the tensioning roller 6|.If the band is correctly inserted its edge pushes the control bolt 44inwardly so that its reduced portion 46 coming to lie under cam 31 ofthe hollow shaft 35 permits turning of the control lever 36.

In order to guide the band in the device and to hold the sleeve firmly,the lever 36 is turned in the direction of the arrow I (Figyl) so thatthe pin 38 (Fig. 6) moves the control rail 42 until the pin 58 thereofengages the arm I51 of the pawl i5, and rocks the latter, whereby thenose of pawl I5 slides olf the pin I9 (Fig. 5). The cutter head is nowfree and is pressed downwardly by the spring 21so that the cutters 6, 1bear upon the sleeve and irmlyhold the band. Further movement of thecontrol lever 36 in the same direction will cause the pin 38 to slidefrom the hook-shaped end of control rail 42 so that the latter will berestored to its original position by means of spring 4|. Owing to theeccentricity of the bore of shaft 35 of lever 36, turning of the leveralso lowers the inner shaft 6|] so that the tensioning roller 6I bepressed on the band 1I. Thereupon the tensioning lever 64 will be raisedand lowered a number of times, whereby with the aid of pawl 65, theratchet wheel 62, the shaft 60 and the tensioning roller 6I are turnedin a counter-clockwise direction in Fig. l0, and the band will be pulledtightly by the roller 6I around the article to be hooped. In thetightened condition the band has the tendency to tilt the device'aboutthe curved front portion of the base plate, which however, is notpossible, by reason of the bolt 55 projecting forward of and 'flush withthe plane bottom portion of the base Y plate, and having the effect of afoot in the range of the curved bottom portion. When the band is tight,cutter-head lever I8 may be rocked in the direction of the arrow II inFig. 10. The eccentric I1 of the lever, through the roller I4, pressesthe cutter head 4 firmly downwardly, whereby its cutters 6, 1 notch thesleeve and the band, whilst the cutter 36 cuts the upper band partleading to the supply roll to such an extent that the band can be brokenaway easily by hand.

On restoring lever I8 to its original position the pin I9 thereof,engages the pawl I5, and raises the cutter head 46 into its upperposition. Thereupon the control lever 36 is rocked opposite Athedirection of the arrow I so that the tensioning roller will be liftedand that the nose 48 engaging arm 49 will turn lever 50 so as towithdraw, with its arm 5I, bolt 55 from its projected position. Thetautly tensioned band is now capable oi' tilting the device about thecurved front portion |66 of the base plate so that it can be removedwith ease from under the band.

In order to enable bands of different Widths to be used the cutters 6,'I are provided with a. plurality of recesses 8, 9, I0 of differentwidths with cutting edges 8', 9', and I0 respectively. By turning theknob I2 recesses corresponding with the band width to be used areadjustable in the lower, i. e. downward position.

It has been found of advantage to restrict the turning movement of theshaft 5 so that the shaft is rotatably mounted only in one direction soas to prevent the cutters 6, 1 from being turned accidentally under theinfluence of the tensioned or the tensioning metal band. It is thusadvantageous to so mount the shaft 'rotatably that the cutters 6, 1cannot turn in a clockwise direction under the influence of the metalband (Fig. 4). Any suitable means may be applied for such purpose, e. g.a pawl and ratchet wheel of the type shown in Fig. 2 and denoted by 63and 62 respectively. With reference to Fig. 4, the shaft 5 would thus bemounted rotatably solely in a counter-clockwise direction.

' What I claim is: l. In a device for tensioning and closing band ironhoops, the combination of a base plate having a front parallel to theband when inserted in the device, the front portion of the bottom faceof the base plate being curved upward, the remainder` of said face beingplane, a housing erected on said base plate substantially above saidcurved portion, a gap between the base plate and a portion of thehousing wall for the insertion of -said band, a cutter head movableinteriorly of and guided by said housing, a cutter mounted in said head,means for vtensioning said band, and a foot-like means movably connectedto said base plate, said foot-like means having one position in which itprojects from the curved bottom portion' of said 'base plate to preventunde'sired tilting of said device on said curved bot'- tom portion andone position in which said device is free to tilt.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, said footlike means comprising a boltmovable in a direction transverse of said base front and being guided bysaid base plate, said bolt having a bottom face flush with the planebottom portion of said base plate and being projectable substantially asfar as the front of the latter and being retractable to clear saidcurved portion.

3. In a device for tensioning and closing band iron hoops, thecombination of a base plate, a housing erected on said base plate, a gapbetween the base plate and a portion of the housing wall for theinsertion of said band, a cutter head movable interiorly of and guidedby said housing so as to be lowered upon and raised from said band,means for reciprocating said cutter head, a releasable detent to holdsaid cutter head in raised position, a tensioning roller adapted to belowered upon and raised from said band outside said housing, a commonhand-actuated element operatively connected to said detent and saidtensioning roller so as to release said detent and to lowerl saidtensioning roller, and a latch for said element to prevent itsactuation, said latch embodying a movable abutment for said band so asto be shifted in unlatching position by said band upon correct insertionof the latter into said device.

4. In a device for tensioning and closing band iron hoops, thecombination of a base plate having a front parallel to the band wheninserted in the device, the front portion of the bottom face of saidbase plate being curved upward, the remainder of said face being plane,a housing erected on said base plate substantially above said curvedportion, a gap b etween the base plate and a portion of the housing wallfor the insertion of said band, a retractable foot member projectablefrom the curved bottom portion downward to prevent undesired tilting ofthe device, means for tensioning the band, a cutter head with cuttermovable interorly of and guided by said housing, means for operatingsaid cutter head, a releasable detent to hold said cutter head in araised position, a reciprocatable member operative by hand, a meansoperatively connected to said detent and movable in the path of saidreciprocatable member on one of its strokes to release said detent, anda means operatively connected to said foot member and movable in thepath of said reciprocatable member on its other stroke to withdraw saidfoot member from operative position.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a resilient memberin connection with said foot member and tending to hold the latter inoperative position.

6. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said tensioning means andsaid reciprocatable member includes an eccentrically hollow shaftjournaled on said base plate so as to cross the direction of the band, ahand-lever secured to said shaft, a lost motion connection between saidshaft and said means to release said detent, a second lost motionconnection between said shaft and said means to withdraw said footmember, an inner shaft extending through said hollow shaft, a tensioningroller secured to said shaft, and a uni-directional drive for saidshaft.

XAVER KUONI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,126,324 Weinstein Jan. 26, 19151,321,208 Hinnershitz Nov. 11, 1919 1,662,268 Howe et al Mar. 13, 19281,712,037 Halter May 7, 1929 1,876,499 Hoffmann Sept. 6, 1932 2,040,576Timmerbeil May l2, 1936 2,087,655 Prestwich July 20, 1937 2,210,510Sutton Aug. 6, 1940 2,386,153 Watt et a1 Oct. 2, 1945

